


Meeting the Original Ms.Welton

by Folie_lex



Category: Ted Lasso (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:34:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27185251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Folie_lex/pseuds/Folie_lex
Summary: As AFC Richmond celebrates their new star player, much to Rebecca's dismay, Roy Kent has the opportunity of being introduced to Ms. Welton.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	Meeting the Original Ms.Welton

**Author's Note:**

> #1 - This is completely un-beta’d so all mistakes (humongous and/or minor) just credit them to that.
> 
> #2 - Ted Lasso is AMAZEBALLS! WATCH IT!
> 
> #3 - Set about 6 years to the past. (BTW I think I need flashbacks next season...)
> 
> Disclaimer: I obviously DO NOT own anything... I'm just a fan expressing some love.

Rebecca catches her mother examining her face and it makes her slightly self conscious. "Is my mascara running?"  
"No darling, nothing like that. Your jaw does seem rather tense though..." Rebecca's mother ponders.  
"Amanda, dear, you should know by now, your daughter's jaw is always tense." Her father puts her arm around Rebecca's shoulders and places a soft kiss on her forehead. When she pulls away, Amanda reaches over to rub the light pink smudge off their daughter's forehead. "You should freshen that up now," she tells her ex-husband.  
"Yes, yes, after the hors d'oeuvres," she waves Amanda off. "Off to the buffet my loves. Come, come." 

She nudges both her daughter and her ex-wife to the splendidly set table at the far end of the room, just beneath the window that's looking over the pitch. She makes a show of looking over at the offerings and giving reviews of every little thing she tastes. She prepares a cup of tea for Rebecca, and passes a little porcelain plate to Amanda making sure to pile onto it everything she's deemed worthy of eating. It's what she does after all: taking care of her girls.  
Rebecca knows her father well enough though. It doesn't matter that she's still loved and accepted by them. Rebecca is well aware that the doting over the two of them to this degree is part of the guilt she carries for "disturbing" the status quo of their family. "It is what keeps my therapist employed my loves" is how she likes to joke about it. 

However Rupert's insensitivity over her father's transition is on her. And she loves Rupert... she does... but cruelty comes easily to him. Especially when the "fruit is so low hanging it got chopped off" as he crudely and crassly likes comment on the situation. So that is her guilt to carry, and she manifests it with tension not only at her jaw but all over her body.  
There's also the "nervously looking around" bit which she's doing a lot more of today. It does however, help her to spot Higgins walking swiftly into the hall and making his way straight to Rupert, nodding and whispering. Rupert starts clicking his champagne flute with his wedding ring, and the sound of metal on crystal quiets the room down.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, without further ado: Premier League Champion Roy Kent," he announces. It's George who walks through the door first of course, with the club's new acquisition in tow, and the room erupts in applause.

Roy Kent walks up to shake Rupert's hand, and consequently be greeted by the surrounding minority owners of the club. His posture is to be envied: shoulders straight back, head held high. He dutifully shakes hand after hand, making acquaintance after acquaintance, but his brow remains furrowed and he doesn't seem to be talking much throughout the introductions.

"He seems grumpy." Her mother's comment brings her attention back to her parents.  
"I don't think his social skills is why he's in this business my love," her father argues. "He is actually one of the best midfields to have ever graced the league."  
As her father says this, Rupert makes eye contact with her. He indicates her way to Roy who raises his head and offers her a tight smile. Before Rupert clears the path towards her for Roy to go through, she sees him whispering something to George, who gives Rupert a mean spirited smile in turn. With terror she realises all three will be joining them.

"Roy, I think you know my wife."  
"Mrs Mannion," he acknowledges with a nod.  
"And _theeese_ are my in-laws." Rupert indicates over to Rebecca's parents smirk in place. To anyone it would all seem charming and playful. The Weltons know better and all three recognize the tone and grimace as gleeful.

As Roy looks over her father, in her sleek maroon dress standing next to her mother in her teal linen pantsuit, Rebecca steadies herself for all the uncomfortableness that is about to follow. This is the moment she has been dreading all afternoon. She's read about Roy Kent. South London doesn't breed the most... tolerable lot.  
"So is it Mrs Welton and Mrs. Welton?" There is something in how he poses the question which takes everyone by surprise. It's to the point, without a trace of mockery; his voice steady and clear.  
"We've been divorced for a few years now actually," Amanda volunteers, the uncertainty of what will follow from her divulging this information clear in her expression. "I have gone back to my maiden name: Salsbury."  
"Well in that case: Ms. Salsbury," he says extending his arm, and they exchange a short handshake. "Ms. Welton," he offers her father the same courtesy not missing a beat, not changing intonation and his eyes never wavering. "Pleasure."

The civility of the exchange has George go slack mouthed and Rupert go a bit wide eyed. Still he presses on. "Yes, well, Matthew over here is in musical theatre... in case it wasn't clear."  
"Can't say it was." Rupert is deflated by Roy's refusal to play whatever part he was cast in, and Rebecca couldn't be more grateful.  
"And how do you feel about the arts?" But it's this, her father's conversational tone, that really begins to release all that tension across her shoulders.  
"It's more to my stepmoms liking if I'm being honest. I'm the one who's being dragged to the damn shows."  
"Aw! That is awfully sweet of you," Amanda acknowledges.  
"It's actually more because, I'm the one who can afford the tickets and secondly I don't really have the luxury to say 'no' to her like my dad does." Roy takes a sip of his beer sparing George and Rupert a glance. Both being clearly disappointed by the turn of this introduction, seems to please him. "Working on anything right now?" he continues. "I'll take whatever I can brag about, to bump her actual children down the favourite list."  
"Being a Premier League Champion doesn't qualify you for a top spot?" Rebecca chimes in with faux disbelief.  
"Used to, but it's hard competing with the son who's about to make her a grandmother."

It's an innocent and well intended thing to say really, but it's a sore subject among this group. However it does seem to perk Rupert up enough in order to insert himself in the conversation. "And that thankfully is something Matthew and Amanda never will have to worry about."  
"Only kid then?"  
Roy directs his question to Rebecca, but it's Rupert who interjects. "That and well we're not interested in children in general. I personally find them to be such a fuss."  
Instinctively Rebecca looks down and Amanda's hand lands on the small of her back, the warmth of her mother's touch being all the comfort she needs.The moment doesn't go past Roy, and he sets his face turning to fully look at Rupert.  
"Can't say I agree. For where I'm at, kids are just people who don't know how to disappoint you yet. What's not to like?"  
Rupert purses his lips at Roy's rebuttal, but seems intent to have the last word in. "I think Rebecca's goddaughter will more than do, to satisfy any needs of that nature. It's all the perks of parenthood and none of the responsibilities. Much like being a grandparent... or an uncle for that fact."  
Rupert smirks satisfied, believing he's brought the conversation to an end at his own terms.  
"And I'll make sure to get back to you on that in a few months. Cheers." 

He raises his bottle to Rupert and takes a swing before he stars to walk way. As he goes past Rebecca and her parents, he gives all three of them a two finger salute with an appreciative nod.

"I... well..." She's been with this man for eight years and married to him for six of those, and not once in all that time has she ever seen him stutter.  
Higgins clears his throat and the group collectively turn his way.  
"Whatcha want Higgy boy?" George gruff tone indicates his intent of shrugging him off, but Higgins' mumbling mention of the Milk sisters seems to be the distraction Rupert was looking for.  
"Yes, of course. Lead the way Higgins. George come with me please."

"I will say... I can absolutely excuse that level of grumpy, if you're so genuinely well mannered," her mother says when the three of them are all alone again.  
"Indeed," her father agrees. "I mean, not a mention about my smudged lipstick...?"  
"Well If that's not the sign of a true gentleman daddy, I don't know what is," Rebecca concludes.

She doesn't really know at which point of this silly little exchange the uncontrollable giggling all three of them dissolved into started. What she does know is that it evaporates all the tension in her jaw.

**Author's Note:**

> Author Ramblings - I wrote this thing as I'm still trying to properly plan out the middle part of the other Ted Lasso thing I've been working on. This has one more chapter which is already half done...


End file.
